Topic 20601 | Page 1

Today was supposed to be the day to get my hard earned CDL , and then came a little 3 foot box called the bumper box. I aced my pre trip, and proceeded to the backing pad, did my straight line and off-set perfect. 0 points and lining up for the 90, feeling great. Did my maneuvers with a couple extra pull-ups, and one boundary, and I'm perfect in the box. I use my last get out and look to see how far I am to the box. I roll back, and see the examiner start to walk-up. So I think I am getting close to the rear boundary, and I stop and complete the test. I get out and realize that I am a foot in front of the bumper box. My luck,lol. But, tomorrow is a new day, and I will conquer this once and for all.

CDL:

Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:

Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.

Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.

Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.

Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.

Handy hint: when you get out to look, pace off the distance you need to move, like, from the rear tandem tire to the box.

As you get to the cab, quickly look for anything on the ground, like a rock, crack in the pavement, etc., and pace that distance back from that mark. Look for another mark. In the cab, watch the edge of the window as it moves from mark #1 to mark #2. Then get out and accept your signed off score sheet.

Tandem:

Tandem Axles

A set of axles spaced close together, legally defined as more than 40 and less than 96 inches apart by the USDOT. Drivers tend to refer to the tandem axles on their trailer as just "tandems". You might hear a driver say, "I'm 400 pounds overweight on my tandems", referring to his trailer tandems, not his tractor tandems. Tractor tandems are generally just referred to as "drives" which is short for "drive axles".

Handy hint: when you get out to look, pace off the distance you need to move, like, from the rear tandem tire to the box.

As you get to the cab, quickly look for anything on the ground, like a rock, crack in the pavement, etc., and pace that distance back from that mark. Look for another mark. In the cab, watch the edge of the window as it moves from mark #1 to mark #2. Then get out and accept your signed off score sheet.

This technique makes good geometric sense. Would there be any penalty during the test if you used marker cones that you brought with you, instead of looking for rocks?

Of course the ground has a lot of details you can use, but why not be sure and provide your own?

Tandem:

Tandem Axles

A set of axles spaced close together, legally defined as more than 40 and less than 96 inches apart by the USDOT. Drivers tend to refer to the tandem axles on their trailer as just "tandems". You might hear a driver say, "I'm 400 pounds overweight on my tandems", referring to his trailer tandems, not his tractor tandems. Tractor tandems are generally just referred to as "drives" which is short for "drive axles".

No, they will not allow your to bring your own marker cones, or anything obvious. If you have access to the course before the examiner shows up, you might do what i did... pull the truck thru the box, make sure the bumper is in the box, then get some rocks, piece of rubber, anything lying on the ground and place it by your front tire as a marker, an inconspicuous marker.

At prime, the pad was setup that a row of cones to the right of the 90 used for the straight, offset, and parallel was lined up with the back edge of the passenger side window frame when your back was against the seat when you were in the box.

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